160: Chapter 160 One Strike

However, just as her life was about to end and her Dao was about to vanish, a voice suddenly appeared in Xie Wantang's ear.

"Tanger, what are you thinking?"

She subconsciously answered, "What do you mean, what am I thinking?"

Remembering that the members of the Xie Family behind her had already been sent away by her, she suddenly opened her eyes.

The cleaver was still within reach, obscuring the last sliver of sunlight in the sky.

She secretly mocked herself that with disaster imminent, she not only saw his back but even heard his voice.

It was too late to close her eyes again; her eyelashes trembled as she watched the cleaver about to split her in two.

Three feet, two feet, one foot...

"Clang!"

A sudden change occurred.

The cleaver was suddenly parried away by a sword.

Immediately after came Lai Tianxiang's shocked and angry interrogation: "Who is it!"

She turned her head and looked at the figure not far away, surrounded by the Qi Refining Disciples of the Lai Family.

A tall figure dressed in a green robe.

Xie Wantang couldn't believe her eyes, staring blankly at this figure, her eyes glistening.

Sensing the Foundation Establishment cultivation on this person and seeing Xie Wantang's expression.

A trace of unease rose in Lai Tianxiang's heart; he waved for the Disciples of the Lai Family to retreat and stepped forward with cupped hands: "May I ask for your esteemed name, Fellow Daoist? I wonder what brings you here?"

Xie Yuzhu cried out in surprise: "Xu Changsheng? Why are you here?"

"Xu Changsheng? Such a familiar name..."

Lai Tianxiang's thick eyebrows furrowed.

"It's the Xie Family Guest Elder that Golden Core Senior was looking for that day!"

Seeing Lai Tianxiang's expression, Xu Changsheng's face tightened.

He had at most met Lai Tianxiang once in the Withered Wood Secret Realm; back then, he was just a minor Qi Refining Loose Cultivator and shouldn't have been noticed by Lai Tianxiang.

"You are a Xie Family Guest Elder?"

Xie Yuzhu had clearly also noticed Xu Changsheng's astonishing cultivation level, and her face was full of joy: "Of course he is our Family's Guest Elder, and he's even a Talisman Master!"

"Is that so?"

Lai Tianxiang confirmed his suspicion; the person that Golden Core Senior was looking for back then was indeed the Xu Changsheng before him!

It was said back then that he only had a Middle Stage Qi Refining cultivation, yet in just a few short years, he had advanced to Foundation Establishment. He truly deserved to be the one the Golden Core Senior was looking for.

He harbored a sliver of hope; after all, in all these years of hounding and cornering the Xie Family, he had never seen this person, so he must not have stayed with the Xie Family during these years.

He bowed with cupped hands: "Fellow Daoist Xu must have left the Xie Family many years ago, right?"

"Indeed?"

He was delighted: "Presumably, Fellow Daoist has also seen the current state of the Xie Family—depleted of people and barely clinging to life."

"What do you mean?"

"As the saying goes, a fine bird chooses the tree it perches on, and a fine official chooses the master he serves. The current Xie Family is simply not worth Fellow Daoist Xu risking your life for anymore."

"Why not join my Lai Family? I will personally grant you ten times the salary of the Xie Family."

Hearing this, Xie Yuzhu's face changed drastically; she also remembered Xu Changsheng's previous departure without saying goodbye, and her heart was filled with unease.

The Xie Family was now at a moment of life and death, and in recent years, they had exhausted most of their ancestral savings to nurture new generations; they simply couldn't compare to the powerful and well-equipped Lai Family.

But she still stared fixedly at Xu Changsheng's face, hoping for a rejection from him.

Xu Changsheng rubbed his nose: "Fellow Daoist's conditions are indeed tempting."

Xie Yuzhu's smile froze on her face and gradually vanished.

Lai Tianxiang clapped and laughed: "Of course! As long as Fellow Daoist Xie is willing to join the Lai Family, I will surely fulfill what I just said!"

"It's just... I want to tell Fellow Daoist Lai about This Xu's other identity in the Xie Family."

It became silent instantly.

Lai Tianxiang's lip twitched: "Please enlighten me, Fellow Daoist."

He also looked at Xie Yuzhu, who also appeared ignorant and confused.

Then he looked at Xie Wantang, whose eyes were still shimmering with tears.

Xu Changsheng smiled slightly: "This Xu is the Xie Family's Head's Husband!"

"What!"

The Xie Family captives couldn't believe what they heard.

Head's Husband?

Isn't the head of the Xie Family Xie Wantang?

Head's Husband? Doesn't that mean he's this woman's Dao Companion?

Lai Tianxiang also found it hard to believe.

One must know that Xie Wantang was once hailed as the Ancient Wood Jade Begonia Flower, praising her for being pure as ice and clean as jade, never getting close to male Cultivators.

Where did a Dao Companion come from? When did this happen?

Seeing the dazed looks on the faces of the Xie Family members, he knew that even they had been kept in the dark.

Xu Changsheng ignored their shocked expressions; the divine wood two principles sword on his Dantian's spiritual platform transformed into True Fire and condensed in his right hand.

He looked at Lai Tianxiang with cold eyes: "Fellow Daoist injured my Dao Companion and killed my clansmen! Today, the Lai Family shall pay in blood!"

The latter immediately realized that it seemed this Xu Changsheng had been here to target their Lai Family from the very beginning.

With a solemn expression, his powerful Divine Sense swept over Xu Changsheng again and again.

Observing Xu Changsheng's cultivation, it was only the Early Stage Foundation Establishment.

The corners of his mouth relaxed.

"Then let This Lai experience Fellow Daoist's methods. Since we are both at the Early Stage Foundation Establishment, I want to see exactly where your confidence comes from!"

He had almost reached Foundation Establishment after coming out of the Withered Wood Secret Realm back then; having been immersed in the Foundation Establishment realm for so long, Xu Changsheng couldn't possibly be his match.

He raised his cleaver, pointed it at Xu Changsheng, and slashed wildly in the Void Realm.

Several blade shadows and astral winds flew out, striking directly toward Xu Changsheng.

The target was not the latter, but the surrounding rocks and debris, whipping up thousands of wind-blade tornadoes.

"Bang!"

Instantly, everything collapsed, and dust filled the air.

The latter stood quietly in place, watching the offensive expressionlessly.

Seeing this scene.

Lai Tianxiang showed a hint of cruelty and smiled coldly: "Kid, are you scared witless by my Thirty-Six Gale Slashes?"

The surrounding Lai Family Disciples also saw Xu Changsheng's dazed appearance through the dust and mud.

They all recovered from their previous panic one after another.

Someone raised their hands high: "Family Head is mighty! Cut him down with one strike!"

Others laughed uproariously: "Haha, so he's just a paper tiger, not even a match for our Family Head for a single round."

There were even some rational observers: "If I hadn't been startled by his sudden appearance just now, I think I could have given him a few punches too!"

The astral wind scraped past Xie Yuzhu's ear, drawing a few drops of blood; her beautiful eyes were filled with horror.

When he was fighting her sister just now, the momentum wasn't even this grand!

The slight hope that had just risen in her eyes dissipated: "There's no hope. The Xie Family is truly finished!"

On the other side, Xie Wantang wiped her tears, seeing Xu Changsheng's composure.

She suddenly felt a hint of anticipation for Xu Changsheng's next performance.

One must know that even during the Qi Refinement Stage, this man had already displayed a level far exceeding that of Cultivators of the same rank.

And unlike her, a Formation Master who would revert to an ordinary Cultivator once away from a Formation, Xu Changsheng had various methods such as Body Refining and Talismans.

He was a truly powerful expert of his rank!

Xu Changsheng finally moved, raising his hand to brush the dust off his clothes and complaining: "If you want to fight, then fight. Why make such a smoky mess?"

Lai Tianxiang chuckled: "I'm just clearing the surrounding debris to avoid it getting in the way of our duel later."

Xu Changsheng exhaled, blowing away the suspended dust around him.

He said to Lai Tianxiang: "Since it's a duel, I have a request."

The latter nodded: "Oh? Let's hear it. Just don't let it be something like begging for mercy; I can't guarantee I'll be able to stop my hand then!"

"It's not. It's about the outcome."

"Speak."

"One strike. If Fellow Daoist can withstand a single strike from me, I'll count it as my loss!"